Kacie Phipps

All About Mrs. Phipps...

I am a 6th & 8th grade Target & AC Social Studies teacher at Griffin Middle School. I am also the Lead Teacher for the Advanced Learning Programs at GMS, which means that I oversee the Target/AC & A.O.L. programs. I have been at Griffin Middle School for 9 years & have thoroughly enjoyed teaching in "my own backyard". As a Smyrna native, I went to Campbell High School, when it was on Atlanta Road. After high school, I attended Agnes Scott College, which is located in Decatur, Georgia. I received my Bachelors from ASC & shortly there after, I received my Masters from Kennesaw State University.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my husband, my 3 & 1/2 year old son, Harrison, & my 8 month old son, Hollis.  I also enjoy traveling, spending time with my family & friends at my church, going to museums, the park, & the zoo. :)

Listed below to help you get to know me a little better in the first month of school, I have listed 10 things about me.

1) My favorite color is RED...GO Dawgs!

2) My favorite movie is Steel Magnolias.

3) My favorite sports team...UGA...of course.

4) My favorite sport to watch is football & my favorite sport to play is softball.

5) I was born, raised, and continue to live in the Smyrna/Mableton area, which is somewhat uncommon these days.

6) When I am alone, I enjoy running cross country and shopping. There is nothing quite like retail therapy. :)

7) My peacock color is gold...8th graders know what this is. :)

8) How to truly bug me...secretly attempt to reorganize my desk. :)

9) My dream vacation spots...Moscow, Iceland, and Fiji.

10) Dr. English was my 9th grade English teacher.

kacie.phipps@cobbk12.org

(678)842-6917 ext. 267

This Week...

6th graders: We began our Geography unit with notes & students began the Geography IRA. It is due on Tuesday. Additionally, students began have Silent Sustained Reading (SSR), where they will read their historical fiction novels for 10-15 minutes of each class. The Open House for 6th grade is on Thursday night at 6:15 in the lunchroom.

8th graders: We began our Georgia Geography unit with notes and students began the Georgia Geography IRA. Blue 1...it is due on Thursday & Silver 1...it is due on Friday.

Welcome Back!!

I hope that you each had a great summer break. I know that it seems rather short at times, but I hope that you enjoyed it.  I didn't do much, besides taking day trips, going to the pool, and spending time with my boys, Harrison and Hollis. I don't know about all of you but I am eager to get back to school.  It was nice seeing many of you and your parents at Sneak a Peek. I can't wait to see all of you on Monday, August 11!

One week to go...

8th Graders: Conspiracy Projects due Wednesday. I will show you the 8th Grade Dance pictures in class on Monday.

7th Graders: Review Packet due Wednesday; Final on Friday

6th Graders: Utopia presentations; Review packet due Wednesday; Final on Friday

For the Last 2 weeks of school...

8th Grade: Students will finish presenting their Alien conspiracies IRA, will work on their Conspiracy Theory culminating project (due 5/21), and will complete the Simpsons & Philosophy IRA (due 5/15).

7th Grade: Students will finish presenting their Current Issues project and will continue with the review for the final. The final review packet is due on Wednesday, 5/21. The final is on Friday, 5/23. If you are aware that you will be absent the last day of school, please let me know so that we can schedule for you to take the final early. It is worth 17 points of your overall grade.

6th Grade: Students continue to work on their Utopia project, which is due on 5/15. Presentations will continue 5/15 and 5/16 and students will work on their Utopian game IRA, which is due on Monday, 5/19. Students will present their games and play their games on Monday. Tuesday, 5/20, and Wednesday, 5/21, will be devoted to the final review. The final will be on Friday, 5/23. The final will be worth 17 points of your overall grade. If you are aware that you will be absent the last day of school, please let me know so that we can schedule for you to take your final early.

This Week in Social Studies...

I have been out sick with a stomach virus. Yuck!

8th Grade: This week, students are presenting their Alien Conspiracy IRAs (on Thursday) and will complete the Hoax IRA (by Thursday).

7th Grade: This week, students are continuing to work on their "Current Issues Around the World" project, which is due 5/12.

6th Grade: This week, students are continuing to work indepedently on their Utopia projects. The Utopia projects are due on 5/14.

The CRCT Has Concluded...

Now, that the CRCT is over and all of our units and areas of focus are complete, we will focus on enrichment for the next 3 weeks.

8th Grade: Tomorrow, we will begin our Conspiracy Theories unit. Just remember...Big Brother is watching you...:) More to follow tomorrow.

7th Grade: Today, students began the Current Issues Around the World Project.  We will continue to work on this in class this week and next week.

6th Grade: Tomorrow, students will begin the Utopia project. They will work on it for the next 2 weeks. 

CRCT Begins...

This week, students are reviewing for the SS section of the CRCT, which is next Tuesday, 4/29.  Students should get ample rest and a nice protein-filled breakfast each morning.

This Week...

8th Grade: Students had the choice of completing the book assessment test or presented their book assessment project. Additionally, students completed the Practice CRCT test and we are going over the answers in class, so students can identify their strengths and weaknesses. Also, students are taking a quiz over the Words To Know from the 20th Century Decade Projects. The quiz will be on Friday.

7th Grade: This week, students had the choice of presenting their book assessment projects or completing the book test. Additionally, we have been working on the Finance and Economics Unit. Students, were given a brief introduction to finance and economics affecting countries around the world. Students then worked on Moneyopolis, which is an interactive economic game (www.moneyopolis.org).

On Thursday, we played Who Wants To Be a Millionaire...the Economics of Africa and Asia game. The Moneymakers team won and received 10 PAWS passes.  Also, when students completed the moneyopolis quest, they played some of the economic games on  http://www.usmint.gov/kids/games/.

Friday, students will continue with the Finance Unit, but will begin to transition into the CRCT review phase. The CRCT begins next Wednesday!

6th Grade: Students took the book test or presented their book assessments in class. Additionally, we went over the CRCT Practice test answers. Like 7th grade, students are working on the Finance Unit. Students played Moneyopolis and worked cooperatively by completing the Goods, Services, Supply, and Demand worksheet. Lastly, the 6th graders have already begun the CRCT review. This week, we discussed Australia and Oceania. Next week, we will finish up the Finance Unit and will also review Latin America, Europe, and Canada. The CRCT begins next Wednesday!

Happy Spring Break...

All Classes: I know you are looking forward to Spring Break. I am as well. You all need a good break, but be prepared for the final book assessment on 4/14, the Monday you return from Spring Break. If you don't have your book list with you and you have procrastinated, the book list is in the archives section (look in August 2007). 

8th Grade---Look back later on this weekend and you will see the  pictures from your 20th Century Decades Presentations. You all did a phenomenal job!

Have a lovely, safe, and relaxing break and come back prepared to review for the CRCT and take the book assessment! :)

Hump Day Is Here...

This week, 8th graders have been presenting their 20th Century Decade projects. They were required to explain a myriad of required information relating to their decade, while only using 10 words (excluding titles, articles, and numbers) per slide. We have had many amazing presentations and I can really tell that they have been working hard on it.  Some of the costumes have been rather interesting to say the least. Pics will be coming soon!